Monster
by texaspeach
Summary: In which Gohan doesn't want to tell Videl his secrets for fear of what she'll see. "Fear" Entry for GohanVidel Week 4.0, 2010. Oneshot.


Found this on my dA account... Thought I'd be nice and post it. Not all that long, not all that great, but it's cute...ish. :) Apparently I wrote it for the "Fear" entry for GohanVidel Week 4.0 in 2010. In other words, kind of old, lol. Enjoy!

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Big, grey clouds boiled out of the northeast, causing Gohan to cast a worried look at them. He was in another flight lesson with Videl, but there was no way that they could continue in the weather that was rolling in. He could sense that this was going to be a big storm. "Um, Videl? I think you should probably go home," he said cautiously. He always worded his phrases carefully, never knowing how just how she would react. Her eyes narrowing at him made him wince, and he hurriedly pointed out the storm. "Storms are really bad up here, so if you don't leave now, you won't be able to get home." A gust of cool wind raced past them and a faint sound of thunder reached their ears.

"I don't think that I'd be able to get home even if I left now," the girl replied. Her voice was tense as she regarded the storm moving toward them. "I have to fly straight into that, and my jetcoptor won't be able to fly in winds like that."

"Well, I guess we can go back to my house and wait it out," Gohan offered. "The house is more protection than being out in the middle of a meadow."

"Hah, lighting would hit you way before it could hit me," Videl teased. "You're way taller than I am."

The two continued to banter back and forth good-naturedly. In the few weeks since the lessons had started, Gohan and Videl had become tentative friends, at least to the point where they knew when the other was teasing and when they weren't.

The windows of the house were dark. Gohan frowned. "Where are Mom and Goten?" he wondered aloud.

Videl rolled her eyes in exasperation. "They went to a friend's house in West City," she reminded him mock-patiently. "Remember? Although you actually probably don't since you were too busy stuffing your face." Her companion stuck his tongue out at her.

By the time they reached the front door, the wind was blowing strongly. The two had to shield their eyes in case of flying debris. Gohan grabbed Videl, who was struggling to keep from being blown over in the heavy winds, and picked her up effortlessly as he ignored her shrieks and kicks of protest. By the time the two were inside and the door barred, she was practically spitting in fury.

"I could have gotten in here by myself!" she snapped. "It wasn't that bad!"

"Whatever you say, Videl," Gohan replied dutifully, the apologetic tone offset by the smirk that crossed his lips. The girl scowled and opened her mouth again, then clicked it shut in temporary defeat. She would get him the next time.

The source of electricity that supplied the Son house must have already been hit by the storm, for the electricity had gone out. Gohan moved around confidently in the semi-dark room, lighting candles as he went. Videl watched him for a moment before plopping down on the couch, knowing that she would only be in the way if she tried to help.

The teenager shivered a bit, noting how cold the weather had already gotten this high up, though the storm probably didn't help. She was surprised when a blanket dropped on top of her head and yanked it off to glare at Gohan, who had innocently gone over to the fireplace, expertly lighting a fire. Videl cocked her head slightly. Where had he learned that?

When she voiced this question, Gohan gave her a sideways look, one that she hated because she knew that it meant he was only telling half-truths. "The person who trained me how to fly showed me how to do this," he said nervously. "Of course, he showed me with a ki ball because it was easier."

Videl had had enough of the boy's dancing around the questions for which she wanted answers. "Why don't you just tell me the truth?" she snapped. "I'm tired of you never straight out answering my questions! Are you afraid I'll go and tell your secrets to everyone?"

Instead of stuttering and stammering as he usually did when directly confronted, Gohan tensed. His eyes flashed, and in the near dark they looked more blue than black. Videl swallowed nervously; she had never seen this side of the mild-mannered teenager. "They aren't just my secrets to tell," he said evenly. "Damn it, Videl, do think that I would keep it from you if it wasn't important? This would affect a lot of people, most of all you!"

Videl scoffed, trying to sound brave, but deep inside she was quailing. Her ki sensing, though still weak, was strong enough to detect the waves of power coming from the teenager still standing by the fireplace. His huge form was illuminated from behind, only adding to the concept of his power.  
"How would it affect me?" she asked haughtily. "Are you going to tell me that it wasn't my dad that killed Cell? Are you going to tell me that it was your dad?"

Gohan's sudden laugh was hollow and decidedly unamused. "I wish I could say that," he said softly, making his way to the couch. He sat down, placed a pillow in Videl's lap, and laid his head on the pillow. The girl was too startled by this very uncharacteristic action to protest at first. She nearly did a few seconds later, but saw the pain on his face and kept her mouth shut. Tentatively she stroked his hair; emboldened by his head leaning into her hand, she continued the motion. They sat in silence for a moment.

"You asked me if I was afraid that you would tell everyone my secrets," Gohan said suddenly. "It's not that. I'm afraid that you'll see me as a monster if I tell them to you."

Videl blinked. "A monster?" she repeated blankly. She couldn't see Gohan being anything but sweet and charming. She blinked again when that thought ran through her head, and blushed slightly. "I don't think you could be a monster, Gohan."

Gohan laughed in that same, eerie way again. "What would you say if I told you that I was only half human? That my dad was sent here to kill every living being on this planet and sell it for profit to an alien overlord that destroyed his home planet minutes after my dad had been sent off of it?"

The girl's hand stilled for a brief second as she absorbed this thought. "If it had been anyone else," she said slowly, "I would smile and nod and then call Arkham Asylum." She caught his eyes with her own, noting the weak smile at her joke. "Considering that it's you telling me this, I'm willing to listen and even believe you. A normal human can't do what you do."

"Not to the extent that I can," Gohan corrected. "Krillin isn't nearly as strong as I am, but he could blow the planet up with about as much effort as swatting a mosquito. I could do it with much less effort." His matter-of-fact tone made Videl shiver again. She couldn't imagine having that kind of power and didn't really want to either. "Your dad didn't kill Cell, but neither did mine." The boy paused for another moment, and when he spoke again, Videl was surprised by the self-loathing in his voice. "It was me. I killed him, and I have my father's blood on my hands as a bonus."

He continued feverishly, not noticing Videl's tensing form. "He told me to kill Cell the moment I could, but I wouldn't listen! I let the power go to my head; I was too arrogant! I practically turned into Vegeta! And then Cell had a device inside of him that allowed him to explode and take the planet with him, and Dad just sacrificed himself. He told me to tell Mom that he was sorry and then disappeared. It was my fault that he died!"

Videl was shocked yet again. _Gohan_ of all people was the Delivery Boy that so many people had tried to find after the Cell Games? It was hard to believe, but she remembered all the out-of-this-world things that he could do. And the Gold Fighter appeared the same day that Gohan did! It made so much more sense now that she had more dots to connect!

Gohan misunderstood her body language. "You see?" he said sadly, attempting to sit up. "I told you that you would see me as a monster." Videl pushed him back down none too gently, and he looked up at her in surprise.

"Do not tell me what I can see," the girl commanded softly. "No one can ever tell me that but me." Her blue eyes bored into his still strangely teal ones. "If I thought you were a monster, I would tell you. I don't. You were eleven, and if the power I could sense from you just a second ago is the same that you possessed when you were that age, then it's no surprise that you lost control. I don't see you as a monster. I just see you." And she bent down and kissed him, an action that took all the courage that she possessed. Not because she was afraid of him, but because she was afraid of his reaction. But after all, wasn't courage being afraid and going through with it anyway? Only a fool was brave.

She needn't have worried, however, for after a few confused seconds, Gohan kissed her back. One hand softly came to her cheek, stroking it. He stopped it a moment later, giving her an apologetic look as she drew away. "My mom and brother are nearly here. I didn't think that you'd want them to walk in on something like that."

Videl smiled at him softly. "No, you're right." But she gave him another lingering kiss anyway, before shoving him off onto the floor. He landed with a surprised "oof!" and glared up at her. She grinned down at him before looking out the window. To her surprise, there was only a gentle rain pattering on the windows.

"We got the worst of it already," Gohan said as he got up, giving her another dirty look. "The worst comes and goes fairly quickly. We should be getting electricity back any time now." He flicked a light switch and the lamp in the corner burned into life. "See?"

"I see your mom and brother, if that's what you're talking about," Videl retorted, pointing outside.

"Isn't that the newest model of Capsule Corporation cars?"

"Hm, what do you know? Bulma gave it to Mom after all," Gohan commented in surprise, glancing out the window.

"You know Bulma Briefs?"

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Chi-Chi wasn't quite sure what had changed between Gohan and Videl in the time since lunch, but she wasn't about to question it. She hadn't seen Gohan smile like that since he was four, before he had been kidnapped. But she did see the glances, the blushing, the secret smiles, and had a good idea. Only one thought went through her head as she continued to cook, muscle memory working overtime to accommodate the absence of thought.

_'Grandbabies!'_

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Read and review!

~tp


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